HBU sees important first step in lopsided loss to SHSU in debut

Typical of Houston Baptist's difficult debut, the Huskies' B.J. Kelly goes nowhere against a wall of Sam Houston State defenders.

Typical of Houston Baptist's difficult debut, the Huskies' B.J. Kelly goes nowhere against a wall of Sam Houston State defenders.

Photo: Eric Christian Smith, Freelance

Photo: Eric Christian Smith, Freelance

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Typical of Houston Baptist's difficult debut, the Huskies' B.J. Kelly goes nowhere against a wall of Sam Houston State defenders.

Typical of Houston Baptist's difficult debut, the Huskies' B.J. Kelly goes nowhere against a wall of Sam Houston State defenders.

Photo: Eric Christian Smith, Freelance

HBU sees important first step in lopsided loss to SHSU in debut

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HUNTSVILLE - When Houston Baptist athletic director Steve Moniaci and coach Vic Shealy asked about adding a game to the inaugural schedule, they were met with reservations from the university's president.

Shealy and Moniaci wanted to play back-to-back Football Championship Subdivision national runner-up Sam Houston State for the first game in school history. They had to talk Robert Sloan into it.

For the first time in its 53-year history, Houston Baptist played a football game.

Tough greeting

The Huskies lost 74-0 at Bowers Stadium on Saturday. It marked Sam Houston State's 15th consecutive home win, which ties its longest streak.

Most involved with the HBU program expected such a result. After all, Sam Houston State is one of the most well-oiled machines in college football. The No. 4-ranked Bearkats led the FCS in scoring offense last year with 46 points per game.

The Huskies, meanwhile, have a team full of players with little to no college experience.

"We knew this would be really, really a challenge much larger than you see typically on a college field," Shealy said. "While you'd like to think we were capable of playing better, you cannot put into context just how young we are and how big an opportunity this was for us to grow our program."

Deficit comes early

The scoring began early and escalated quickly. Sam Houston scored on each of its first four drives. The Bearkats added a fifth touchdown on an interception return before HBU's defense forced a punt on the fifth possession. Sam Houston led 49-0 at halftime.

It took HBU three drives to gain a first down.

Midway through the first quarter, backup quarterback Kadarius Baker passed to Trey Sudds for a 20-yard gain, and a roughing the passer penalty took the Huskies to the Sam Houston 35-yard line.

That was the only time HBU crossed midfield.

"The game was so much faster tonight than we were able to practice," Shealy said. "It's tough to prepare for, but we're going to be OK."